Data storage devices store digitally encoded information or data on a magnetic storage media. Data is stored on the storage media using a magnetic recording head. Illustrative magnetic recording heads include a magnetic assembly having a pole tip and one or more auxiliary poles. A coil is energized to generate a magnetic flux path in the main pole and the one or more auxiliary poles to magnetically record data on a magnetic storage layer of the storage media. Data can be stored on the magnetic storage layer in a longitudinal or perpendicular pattern.